This week Cherie and I were talking with peter Gill Case, founder of Truth Box Architects, a Providence, RI based architecture firm dedicated to sustainable design. Peter’s phone has been ringing more and more lately and that’s not surprising to me. According to The National Association of Home Builders (NAHAB) more and more of  America’s 120 million existing homeowners are choosing Green Building and remodeling concepts that will positively impact both their own lives and the environment. Utilizing green building products and practices in homebuilding and remodeling projects results in quality homes and financial savings. Even the smallest effort can make a big difference. Green Building promotes the use of local products and materials that help stimulate local businesses, this keeps your dollars working in your neighborhood and reduces energy consumption because there are less transportation costs.

NAHB Remodelers offer a Top 7 list for home owners who want to remodel Green:

1: Install maximum insulation in the area to be remodeled.
2: Install high-efficiency windows instead of those that just meet the energy code.
3: Seal all exterior penetrations in the area being remodeled.
4: Purchase only Energy Star - rated appliances.
5: Install only low-flow water fixtures.
6: Upgrade to an Energy Star - rated water heater, or better yet a tank-less water heater.
7: Purchase the highest efficiency HVAC system you can afford.

This Week’s Real Estate Insight:

Promoting continued health, financial savings, and social responsibility, Green building is the smart solution for today.

This week we had Ted Sanderson, the Executive Director of the Rhode Island Historical Preservation and Heritage Commission, to talk about “The 22nd Annual Historic Preservation Conference” being held on April 14, 2007. Which is making the case for adaptive reuse as a fundamentally green strategy. A community can benefit in many ways from recycling buildings into useful structures instead of destroying them. In adaptive reuse, the structure is stabilized and historic materials are saved and strenghtened as much as possible. The building regains its vitality and its use is sustainable. There are numerous benefits for adaptive reuse as opposed to demolition and new construction.

1: Creates sightseeing appeal.
2: Models sustainable development to the community.
3: Lowers total development costs.
4: Allows for other site projects such as public gardens or parks.
5: Reduces construction resources needed.
6: Sustains existing Footprint.
7: Historically appropriate materials are often “Greener”.

This Week’s Real Estate Insight:

Adaptive reuse will soon become more prevalent than new construction. Historic buildings still in use or adapted for new use embody energy that would be wasted during demolition and reconstruction. Old buildings are supported by existing infrastructure like roads, sewers, power, and water, further adding to the environmental and financial savings.